6/20 First Tarpon Trip of the Year
Posted: June 20th, 2008, 9:12 pm
Decided to play hooky from work today and go look for a few poons. Arrive at the first spot just as the tide was pushing in. Conditions were almost perfect with a light SW wind. Anchored and went to pull out my fly rod. I noticed a turtle trying to chew through my anchor rope and went and grabbed the camera to take a few pics. As I was getting the fly rod ready I noticed that I’d missed a guide when I rigged it up. So I cut off the fly and wouldn’t you know it…. About 8 poons appeared about 50 yards away bearing down on me, I was relativity helpless so I pull the camera out of my pocket and attempted to get some video (batteries died about 7 seconds into it). They got within about 20 feet of me and slowly turn off into the grass. I’m thinking no big deal as I’m early into the game and if they keep it up I’ll get several shots at some more. The wind begin picking up to about 10 knots and spot 1 failed to produce anymore sightings so onto spot 2. Arrived a spot 2 and the wind was around 15 knots now. As soon as I drop the anchor and turn around there’s a single off the stern about 30 yards away so I rush to grab the rod. I made a hasty cast toward him as he was leaving the area and miraculously he turns and begins tracking the fly, he got within about 20 yards and spooked off. Waited it out about another hour without seeing much and headed home. Lessons learned! If you look closely at the video you’ll see them appear in the upper middle of the picture. I wish the batteries hadn’t died as they turn broadside to me at about 20 feet . Also anyone know of a good polarizer for a camera? A couple of them would have easily went 130.
Looks like a rush.